Bihar polls: BJP goes full throttle with more rallies by PM

The BJP plans to virtually carpet-bomb rivals in poll-bound Bihar with Prime Minister Narendra Modi slated to address a slew of rallies as he leads the party’s offensive in the high-stakes election that analysts see going down to the wire.

The BJP plans to virtually carpet-bomb rivals in poll-bound Bihar with Prime Minister Narendra Modi slated to address a slew of rallies as he leads the party’s offensive in the high-stakes election that analysts see going down to the wire.

Modi has already held half a dozen public meetings in the eastern state and is scheduled to address at least 22 more for the crucial polls, surpassing his record of 27 rallies ahead of last year’s Maharashtra election.

Caste-riddled Bihar is likely to present a tough challenge for the BJP-led coalition, political observers say, as it prepares to take on the grand alliance of chief minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U), Lalu Prasad’s RJD and the Congress.

“He (Modi) will spend two days to campaign in each of the five phases (of the election), adding, on an average, two-three rallies a day,” a BJP leader involved in the campaign management told HT.

A win will boost Modi’s bid to push crucial reforms legislation through Parliament as state elections allot seats to the Rajya Sabha where the ruling combine is in a minority.

Threat changes PM’s poll travel plan

A threat perception has changed Modi’s election tour itinerary in Bihar. A few rally venues have also been dropped from his two-day schedule beginning Thursday.

This follows the arrest of several Indian Mujahideen operatives in the state’s Darbhanga district.

According to the new travel plan, Modi will now use the Patna airport instead of the IAF base in Darbhaga.